Keeping things festive and fun with this spicy Naughty Nice Margarita. A homemade vanilla jalapeño honey syrup mixed with tequila, orange liqueur (Cointreau), a squeeze of lime juice, and finished off with ginger beer. It’s a little sweet with a hint of spice—the perfect “naughty nice” margarita. Rim your glass with ginger salt for a Christmas cocktail that shines. Want to make it even more festive? Add some sugared cranberries to really dress it up for the holidays! Spicy, sweet, and totally festive—just right for chilly winter nights. (Punch and mocktail versions are in the notes.)

December’s here, and I’ve got loads of festive, delicious recipes to share. I can’t wait to create dishes and drinks that really put us in the holiday spirit this month. It’s gonna be so much fun!

Today, we’re making another Christmas cocktail (with a mocktail option too)—one I think everyone will love. A spicy, just-slightly-sweet winter margarita that’s totally festive!

Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Make the vanilla jalapeño honey syrup

Just simmer honey with jalapeños, ginger, and star anise to give the honey a warm, gingery kick. Then stir in vanilla extract. It’s the perfect blend of cozy holiday flavors.

Step 2: The salted rim (optional but fun!)

When I serve this margarita, I love adding a gingery salted rim to the glasses. Mix flaky sea salt with a little sugar and a pinch of ginger.

The salty rim balances the lime’s tartness and makes your cocktail feel extra cute and sparkly!

Step 3: Mix your drink

Now, just shake everything up! I combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker—tequila, orange liqueur (I use Cointreau), lime juice, and a dash of vanilla extract. (If vanilla sounds weird to you, trust me—it makes the drink even tastier.)

Then, rim your glass with the salt mix and add ice.

Pour the cocktail over the ice. For some bubbles and extra ginger flavor, top it off with ginger beer.

Want to go all out? I also made sugared cranberries for a pop of red on top. Totally optional, but so fun!

Make it a punch for parties!

This version serves about eight but can easily be doubled or tripled. I’ll definitely be making a big batch when my family arrives for Christmas in mid-December. It’s got all their favorite flavors in one glass—they’re gonna love it!